Safety closure for containers

ABSTRACT

This invention is for a leak-proof protective safety closure for containers which is used to prevent inadvertent opening of the container by children or the like. The invention provides a cap having a top and sidewalls which has a wedge-shaped protrusion on the interior of the cap near the base of the sidewalls. A recessed relatively elongated and sloping track is provided on the neck of the container and the wedge rides in the track. Near the base of the track is a notch or groove which accomodates the wedge to lock the cap into position against inadvertent openings. There are pressure means in the form of a rigid ring below the underside of the top of the cap and a flexible plate which flexes while the wedge on the cap rides in the groove and remains under pressure when the wedge snaps into the notch to provide a leakproof fit. To open the cap it is depressed against the action of the flexible plate to a point where the wedge comes out of the notch or groove and the cap is turned until it is free of the track.

United States Patent [191 Bogert SAFETY CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS [76] Inventor: Clayton Bogert, 118 Lowell Road,

Glen Rock, NJ. 07452 [22] Filed: Jan. 28, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 437,071

[52] US. Cl. 215/222; 215/331; 215/332; 215/340 [51] Int. Cl. B65D 55/02 [58] Field of Search 215/9, 218, 222, 331, 223, 215/332, 340; 220/300, 302

Primary ExaminerGeorge T. Hall 57 ABSTRACT This invention is for a leak-proof protective safety clo- Dec. 23, 1975 sure for containers which is used to prevent inadvertent opening of the container by children or the like. The invention provides a cap having a top and sidewalls which has a wedge-shaped protrusion on the interior of the cap near the base of the sidewalls. A recessed relatively elongated and sloping track is provided on the neck of the container and the wedge rides in the track. Near the base of the track is a notch or groove which accomodates the wedge to lock the cap into position against inadvertent openings. There are pressure means in the form of a rigid ring below the underside of the top of the cap and a flexible plate which flexes while the wedge on the cap rides in the groove and remains under pressure when the wedge snaps into the notch to provide a leak-proof fit. To open the cap it is depressed against the action of the flexible plate to a point where the wedge comes out of the notch or groove and the cap is turned until it is free of the track.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures FIG.3

FIG.I

FIG.5

SAFETY CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS This invention relates to protective safety closures for containers utilized to inhibit the inadvertent opening of the container and exposure of the contents by children or thosewho are not knowledgeable as to the contents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There have been a great many proposals for providing safety closures for containers to prevent their being inadvertently opened by children and others who may be unaware of the contents. Usually such proposals have been of complicated structure involving new and expensive tooling for their manufacture. Furtheremore, such closures are often not sealed nor leak-proof and a good deal of manual dexterity and strength is required to open the containers even by those who are well acquainted with the contents. Therefore, there remains a need for the provision of a relatively simple safety closure which does not require extensive tooling expenditures but which nevertheless is completely effective in its locking means and one which is sealed tight and is leak-proof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention fills the aforesaid need and overcomes the problems heretofore discussed. It provides a safety closure which requires little modification of currently existing threaded necks on conventional containers and a simple inexpensive cap which can easily be conventionally and inexpensively molded. In essence, the present invention comprises a container having a neck with a gradually sloping, elongated, recessed track or tracks provided with a notch or groove near the bottom terminus of the track. The cap placed over the neck portion has at its bottom portion one or two sloped wedges for inter-engagement with the sloping recessed groove in the neck portion and ultimately with the notch. Flexible pressure means are provided between the underside of the bottom of the cap and the neck. In this structure, when the cap is placed over the neck of the bottle and turned rotationally, the wedge shape member will ride in the sloping, elongated, recessed track until the flexible pressure means is in frictional engagement with the top of the neck of the container. As the cap is further turned, the pressure means will flex until the wedge-shaped member is below the notch or groove. At this point, the pressure means will return to substantionally normal position and the wedge will snap into the notch or groove. In this position, because of the sloping construction of the recessed, elongated groove, the pressure means are sealed tight and leak-proof thus preventing any inadvertent spillage of the contents which is an important benefit of the present invention. Thereupon, the cap will be locked into position against inadvertent opening by children and others. In order to reopen the cap, it is merely necessary to exert axial, downward pressure, whereupon the pressure means will deflect and permit the disengagement of the wedge from the neck of the container. The cap may then be counter rotated whereupon the wedge will ride up in the recessed track until it is free and thereupon the cap may be removed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cap of the safety closure of the present invention showing in dotted lines the rigid member, the flexible member and the interlocking wedges disposed internally of the cap.

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the neck of the container of the present invention with the body of the container broken away and showing the sloping, elongated, recessed track on the neck.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the position of the various members as the cap is being applied to the neck of the container.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the position of the various members when the cap is in locked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The protective safety closure of the present invention comprises an outer cap 10 of flexible plastic material. Flexible pressure means are provided which may take any suitable form. The illustrated form shown in the drawings is a rigid ring 11 which has a circular form, but, of course, may be rectangular, triangular or any other desired shape. The ring is disposed below the top 12 of the cap. Wedges 13 are formed integral with the cap 10 and are located near the bottom thereof. The wedges 13 are preferably tapered for the purposes hereinafter set forth. In the form of the pressure means illustrated, a flexible plate 14 is disposed in proximity to the bottom of the rigid ring 11. The flexible plate may be placed in position in the cap by a friction pressed fit in which position it will be maintained against axial movement but is able to flex in one direction or the other. If desired, however, the cap may be provided with a groove (not shown) which can accomodate the outer perimeter of the plate 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, the neck 15 of the container 16 has an integral sloping, elongated track or tracks 17 which are recessed into the neck of the container. Near the terminus of the track 17 there is a notch or groove 18 which is substantially the size and shape of the wedge 13.

In assembling the safety closure of the present invention the cap 10 is merely placed over the neck 15 with the wedges 13 being disposed in the recessed tracks 17. The cap is then turned rotationally in a normal clockwise direction until the frictional pressure between the wedges 13 and the tracks 17 causes the plate 14 to flex as the wedges approach the notches 18 as shown in FIG. 4. Further movement will place the wedges 13 below the notches l8 and the release of the pressure on the plate 18 will cause it to return to its normal position as shown in FIG. 5 carrying with it the wedges 13 up into the notches l8 whereupon the cap 10 will be locked in position on the neck 15 of the container. The cap will therefore be prevented from inadvertent movement to open the same by one not acquainted with the structure. Furthermore, in this simple construction which is easily and inexpensively manufactured, the wedges 13 also act as a guide during the assemblage.

In addition, because of its construction, the grooves in the neck of the container are elongated, gradually sloped grooves. The plate 14 remains active as a seal and prevents any leakage or inadvertent spillage of the contents of the container. In order to remove the cap, it is merely necessary to exert manual axial pressure on the cap in a downward direction whereupop the' a flexible plate extending internally of the cap and plate 14 will flex and cause the wedgesl'fi to be removed from the notches 18. The cap is then rotated in a counterclockwise direction until the wedges 13 are out of the track and the cap may be removed.

While the pressure means illustrated are in the form of a flexible plate and a rigid ring any suitable pressure means may be utilized for the purpose intended.

It will be understood that while the invention has been described in some detail for illustrative purposes, variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A leak-proof safety closure for containers comprising a cap provided with a top and sides and a container having a neck portion, said cap having a protrusion near the bottom of the sides of the cap, said neck being provided with an integral recessed relatively elongated, gradually sloping track having a notch near the terminus of the track adapted to accommodate the protrusion of the cap pressure means disposed below the top of the cap and whereby when said cap is placed on the neck of the container the top of the said protrusion will engage the track and upon rotation of the cap said protrusion is accommodated on said notch under the pressure exerted by said pressure means.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which said pressure means comprises a relatively rigid member disposed below the top of and internally of the cap and engageable by said rigid member.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 1 including a second protrusion on the cap disposed opposite the first protrusion on the cap and a second recessed track having a notch disposed opposite said first track and notch.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the protrusion is wedge-shaped.

5. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which the relatively rigid member comprises a ring integral with the cap.

6. A leak-proof safety closure for containers as claimed in claim 1 comprising a cap provided with a top and sides and a container having a neck portion, said cap having a locking protrusion near the bottom of the sides of the cap, said neck being provided with an integral recessed relatively elongated, gradually sloping track having a locking notch near the terminus of the track adapted to accommodate the protrusion of the cap, and pressure means disposed below the top of the cap and axially positioned with respect to the protrusion and track to operatively pressure-interengage the cap and container after initial rotational engagement of the protrusion with the track, whereby when said cap is placed on the neck of the container the top of the said protrusion will engage the track and upon initial rotation of the cap said pressure means will pressureinterengage the cap and container and said protrusion will be accommodated on said notch under the pressure exerted by said pressure means. 

1. A leak-proof safety closure for containers comprising a cap provided with a top and sides and a container having a neck portion, said cap having a protrusion near the bottom of the sides of the cap, said neck being provided with an integral recessed relatively elongated, gradually sloping track having a notch near the terminus of the track adapted to accommodate the protrusion of the cap pressure means disposed below the top of the cap and whereby when said cap is placed on the neck of the container the top of the said protrusion will engage the track and upon rotation of the cap said protrusion is accommodated on said notch under the pressure exerted by said pressure means.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which said pressure means comprises a relatively rigid member disposed below the top of and internally of the cap and a flexible plate extending internally of the cap and engageable by said rigid member.
 3. The invention as claimed in claim 1 including a second protrusion on the cap disposed opposite the first protrusion on the cap and a second recessed track having a notch disposed opposite said first track and notch.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the protrusion is wedge-shaped.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which the relatively rigid member comprises a ring integral with the cap.
 6. A leak-proof safety closure for containers as claimed in claim 1 comprising a cap provided with a top and sides and a container having a neck portion, said cap having a locking protrusion near the bottom of the sides of the cap, said neck being provided with an integral recessed relatively elongated, gradually sloping track having a locking notch near the terminus of the track adapted to accommodate the protrusion of the cap, and pressure means disposed below the top of the cap and axially positioned with respect to the protrusion and track to operatively pressure-interengage the cap and container after initial rotational engagement of the protrusion with the track, whereby when said cap is placed on the neck of the container the top of the said protrusion will engage the track and upon initial rotation of the cap said pressure means will pressure-interengage the cap and container and said protrusion will be accommodated on said notch under the pressure exerted by said pressure means. 